


Companionate Relationships

by Anonymous033



Series: Arospec Hayes [6]
Category: Conviction (TV 2016)
Genre: Aromantic, Arospec Hayes, Gen, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 16:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8924086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous033/pseuds/Anonymous033
Summary: Hayes kicks a heel into the desk for a bit before admitting, “I’m lost. I had a game plan. And now my game plan is gone, because I can’t pretend to be clueless about being clueless about romance anymore.”





	

“I am a douche, too.”

Tess looks up from her work, looking confused for the split-second before she cottons on to Hayes’ train of thought. It’s been almost two weeks since the conversation which had ended badly in Hayes’ office, and though Tess has been as professional as ever, the fact that she has also been acting distinctly colder than before has not escaped Hayes.

Which is why Hayes now sits at a corner of Tess’ desk and offers up a chocolate-chip muffin on a platter.

Tess only stares bewildered at the muffin, so Hayes continues, “You were trying to help me, and I pushed you away. I’m—bad at dealing with identity crises.”

Tess’ gaze shifts to Hayes’ face. “Yeah, you are,” Tess agrees, taking the muffin from Hayes.

“Yeah. And I’m—sorry.” Hayes drums her now unoccupied fingers on Tess’ desk. “Anyway, I’m gonna go—”

Tess’ warm hand catches hold of Hayes’ wrist before the latter can properly stand, and Hayes stops.

“How are you?” Tess asks intently.

“I’m fine. I’m great,” Hayes answers.

“Okay, please don’t yell at me again,” Tess says, steepling her own fingers, “but you don’t seem fine at all.”

Hayes kicks a heel into the desk for a bit before admitting, “I’m lost. I had a game plan. And now my game plan is gone, because I can’t pretend to be clueless about being clueless about romance anymore.”

“What was your game plan?”

“You know,” Hayes says vaguely.

“… I don’t know?”

Hayes bites down on her bottom lip. “You may have noticed that I don’t have a huge social circle,” she says, and Tess nods. “I have lived my life surrounded by politicians. It puts a kink in the works. It’s fucked me up a bit. And when I’m _not_ surrounded by politicians, I’m … with the people I would call for a night of fun, but whom I don’t really consider my friends. When you’ve grown up as I have, you know there are things about you that are worth selling out for a good price.”

Tess nods again, and Hayes takes a deep breath.

“Traditionally, the people I _have_ trusted enough to consider my friends are also the people I’ve considered dating,” she continues. “I mean, there are exceptions. I’ve never dated you and you’re somewhat my friend, and I’ve dated Conner but he definitely would still sell me out for a good price—a political one rather than a financial one, but you get the point.”

“There aren’t many people you can trust,” Tess surmises.

“Exactly. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not the type of person people like hanging around if they don’t have extra incentive to do so. That doesn’t stop me from liking company, so I have to figure out a way to bribe them to stay. Unfortunately, since Wallace would bust my ass for distributing cocaine to my friends…”

“You form a game plan,” Tess realizes, “to get involved with the people who are interested in you, because if you’re in a relationship, then they’d be more likely to care about spending time with you.”

Hayes winces. “ _Full marks,_ Tinkerbell. You must’ve graduated top of your class.”

Tess looks like she’s barely restraining herself from rolling her eyes. “If you weren’t so obviously trying to get me not to feel sorry for you, that barb would hurt more.”

Suitably chastised, Hayes shuts her mouth.

“You could always _ask_ people to hang out with you,” Tess points out. “Minus the illegal cocaine, of course.”

“And put away my Wild Child side for the night?” Hayes scoffs. “No can do, Shirley Temple. People don’t want to know the real Hayes Morrison has abandonment issues and a drinking probl—actually, the media might know about my drinking problem…” She trails off at the expression on Tess’ face. “Don’t look at me like that. You know it’s true; people like me for my fame and notoriety more than anything else.”

Tess shrugs. “I always liked the stories about the cases you won and stuff more than the stories about your nights in town.”

“That’s because you _are_ interested in me, for whatever reason,” Hayes points out in blunt exasperation. “And doesn’t this just prove my whole point?”

“Okay, fine, I am,” Tess says, “but Maxine isn’t, and neither is Frankie, and neither is Sam. I’m sure they’d all like hanging out with you, though.”

“I think you’re vastly overestimating the amount of fondness they have for me,” Hayes assures her. “But even they did….” It would not remotely be their priority, because Maxine has kids and Frankie has his own romantic troubles and god knows she doesn’t want to hang out with Sam, anyway.

She doesn’t resent them for leading their own lives.

But that doesn’t stop her from feeling lonely.

“There are also platonic relationships,” Tess suggests, pulling Hayes’ train of thought back to the conversation.

“Like the kind we were talking about when you first told me about all this?” Hayes asks uncertainly.

“Yeah, companionate relationships.”

“That sounds nice,” Hayes admits. “It also sounds like wishful thinking. Old couples and arranged marriages aside, I’ve never actually heard anyone say they’d be in a relationship with someone who wasn’t in love with them—I’m pretty sure they encourage the opposite, in fact.”

“I think it’s because people mistake the lack of romantic attraction for insincerity,” Tess answers thoughtfully. “But the two things are not necessarily related. You just have to find someone who understands that. At least you can be honest about it now, right? You don’t have to pretend you like romance anymore, and so you can reach out to other arospec people or to non-arospec people who look at things the way you do.”

“People like you?” Hayes asks archly, and Tess flushes.

“You’re not wrong,” she allows, “but I hope you don’t think I’m doing this for selfish reasons.”

“No,” Hayes says softly, because if there’s one person she can’t imagine being conniving, it’s Tess. “No, I don’t. Thank you, Tess.”

“For what?”

“For … listening.” Hayes grimaces. “For everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Tess replies with a smile.

“Okay.” It’s getting a little sappy, so Hayes straightens up and says, “Now, eat your muffin and go home. The paperwork can wait until tomorrow. It’s late.”

Tess doesn’t say anything as Hayes walks away.

The grin aimed at Hayes’ back is still deafening.

* * *

Crossposted to: [Tumblr](http://anonymous033.tumblr.com/post/154727747582/companionate-relationships-a-hayes-tess)


End file.
